Truck caught fire yesterday!!!!!!!!!

[namkyoo98]

Well yesterday I was driving my 86 K10 to work which I do at least once per week. I stopped to drop my daughter off at my ex's and Ole Red would not shut off! It kept knocking and pinging. My daughter notice something leaking from the truck when she got out so I looked underneath the truck to see what looked like fuel leaking. Truck was starting to smoke and eventually caught fire. Luckily my daughter or I didn't get hurt. The fire department came and they disconnected the spark plug wires to get it to stop running, wish I would have known to do that! The truck is not a total loss by any means. Just some interior pieces to replace. As for the fuel leak, I don't know what the extent of the repairs could be. My wife tells me our kids are not allowed to ride in it and I should think about getting rid of Ole Red! I said NO WAY! I am very slowly trying to rebuild her but the funds just aren't there at times. With 5 kids the funds may not be there for awhile but I will NOT sell my truck!
Does anybody have any ideas why my truck would just keep knocking and pinging and not turn off???????
Oh, and yesterday happened to be my daughters 12th birthday! I guess she will remember her 12th birthday the rest of her life!

[Corts60]

When you shut the key off, it started knocking and pinging? Like dieseling?

If it was in fact dieseling, that would be a timing related issue, but if your truck always ran fine before that and shut off perfect every time, then maybe the distributor got bumped or something. Were you doing any work in the engine compartment? Glad to hear no one got hurt.

Also, post a pic of your truck when you get a chance. It's a long shot, but I used to own an '86 red K-10 when I lived in Baltimore about 7 years ago. I sold to someone just before I moved. It would be awesome if that was the same truck.

[namkyoo98]

It's a possibility this could be your truck. I bought it 6 1/2 years ago from a guy name Mike who owns a repair shop on Belair Rd. just inside Baltimore City line. He was going to put a snow plow on it but decided not to do that because it was too nice of a truck to tear up pushing snow. I saw it going to work 1 day 6 1/2 years ago and once I saw it I had to have it! It has red interior with manual locks and windows and also has a truck cap. Maybe I will run up to my mechanic where it sits now and take some pictures for you. I do know the guy I bought it off of never titled it. Previous owner I think lived on Joh Ave. That would be CRAZY if this is your old truck!
P.S. I was told when I bought it the transmission was rebuilt

[Corts60]

It might not be mine then, Although the name Mike does ring a bell. Mine was manual hubs as well, t400 and t208 transfer case. It had a tan colored bench seat that I found in a wrecking yard up past parksville and I remember making a ghetto seat cover for it. haha. I had just put brand new flowmaster true duals on with chrome tips out the back behind the tires.

[jesse977]

One time my air filter caught on fire. I guess it was a cheap paper one. A guy came out and Put it out with a extinguisher. I was so lucky. Nothing major got damaged.
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[TDS-MN]

I had a similar run-on instance once, but without any fire. It was cool out, and I hadn't started the truck for a while. A few shots of starting fluid and I got it running, but it was in high-idle mode for some reason, and racing at 2200+RPM. I couldn't get that to kick back down, and ended up finally having to shut it off with the key. Did that and was surprised when it kept on chugging and loping on. Felt helpless, looking at and wondering what to do to stop it, it went on for a few minutes. It did finally come to a stop on it's own, and really stunk of fuel and burning something-or-another, I'm sure that it wasn't good for the truck, LOL!. Never has done it again, nor do I have any wierd driveablilty issues.

[Walts_restoration]

My k5 likes to diesel, as did dads old 73. I just turn it off in gear and it doesnt diesel.

[Goldfinger]

you may have a vacuum leak. mine would diesel until i fixed a leak.

[Axle]

My wife tells me our kids are not allowed to ride in it and I should think about getting rid of Ole Red! I said NO WAY!

Well, you could always buy a newer Ford, maybe she would like that? Oh yes, theres that pesky cruise control switch that causes fires... (been recalled) I'm sure google will turn up more cars that catch fire due to some design fault--rather than some mechanical fault like you experienced.

Alex.

[425HP409]

The reason a gasoine engine "diesels" is too high of an idle speed. This could be caused by a choke fast idle cam sticking, or if it is a Quadrajet, the secondary throttle plate may be sticking open a little.

[buffle]

Did he say Ford?

[dmartin1]

i had a truck catch on fire too, after it rained, i had recently boughten my 78 k20 and it was still a clunker so i decided to go play in the mud a little.
when i got it home, i parked in my driveway and went into the kitchen and my mo said it was smoking and luckily i had the kitchen extinguisher right there and put it out. the wires behind the engine were laying on the hot engine and melted and caught fire. scary site that was!